If you have a dog, especially a hunting dog, and you live in a part of the country that has venomous snakes, you should train your dog to avoid all snakes. Unlike people, dogs cannot wear snake boots to protect themselves from the fangs of a viper that lives nearby. Dogs by nature are curious about everything, including snakes. It only takes a second for a dog to get hit in the muzzle or eye and you have a serious problem.

Hunting dog training that includes snake avoidance will reduce the chances of your dog being bitten by a venomous snake. Snake avoidance training is a specialty that requires the trainer to be very comfortable handling snakes. Several gundog training specialists located in the South and West train their prize gundogs during regular obedience training. They would never risk their dog and all the time and effort they have invested in ignoring this serious problem.

We have hunting dogs and during their early training as hunting dogs we introduced them to snakes. In many cases, catching a local non-venomous snake is the first step in avoiding snakes. Placing a newly caught snake in front of the pup will cause the snake to strike the dog repeatedly. It is important not to say anything to the dog during this avoidance training. This will often cause the pup to avoid snakes for the rest of their lives. However, this procedure often needs to be followed up with additional training methods.

A more intensive method of teaching snake avoidance is by using an electronic training collar in addition to a freshly caught non-venomous snake. You want to select newly caught snakes to ensure that the snake hits the dog repeatedly. Snakes that are handled frequently will rarely provide the proper attack response you need. Once again, the snake is positioned so that your dog will find it; however, when the snake attacks, it will use the electronic collar to shock the dog. It is important to apply the correction at the same time the snake hits the dog. Again, don’t say anything during this process, as you want the dog to associate the pain of the correction with the snake and not with you and the training collar.

It should be noted that non-venomous snakes do not smell the same as vipers. If you have the chance to kill or capture a rattlesnake, copperhead, or cottonmouth without putting yourself in danger, you should do it. In snake country, you’ll find dead snakes on local roads that will provide you with the material you need for advanced snake avoidance training. It is recommended to remove the head of the venomous snake before placing the body in a zip-top bag in the freezer. The dead parts of the snake are thawed and placed in a bag with the non-venomous snake for 30 minutes to provide it with the scent of a viper. The hunting dog training process described above is then employed to achieve the desired effects. The dog’s sense of smell will help him avoid snakes in the wild.

Some trainers use live rattlesnakes to teach snake avoidance. This is not recommended unless you are very comfortable working with venomous snakes. This process requires removal of the rattlesnake’s fangs with a pair of needle nose pliers. Again the hunting dog training process described above is used. The main benefit of this method is to provide an association of both the smell and the sound of the snake rattling with the snake. Again, this should not be attempted unless you have experience handling snakes.

It should be understood that hunting dog training that includes snake avoidance is no guarantee that your dog will not be struck by a venomous snake. In many cases, while the dog is working on the deck, he will surprise a snake and get hit. However, often these initial attacks do not carry a large dose of venom and are used by the snake to warn the intruder. An untrained dog will often turn on the snake and be hit again with a full charge of venom that can kill or blind a dog. In most cases, a trained dog will immediately leave the snake alone and continue hunting.

In all cases, whenever your dog encounters a snake, it should be closely examined. Hunting dogs should be housed and observed for any swelling or signs of biting. Many vets will provide you with the first aid medications you need to treat your dog in the field. If you have any concerns about a snake bite, you should contact your vet immediately. If you love your dog, you will invest time and effort to properly train him to avoid snakes. Hunting dog training that includes snake avoidance just makes sense and will save you headaches, time, and money.